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Nursing vocabulary · Vital Signs

Respiratory rate

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˈrɛspərəˌtɔri reɪt/nounCore term

In nursing, respiratory rate means: The number of breaths a person takes in one minute, counted by watching the chest rise and fall.

In Turkish: solunum sayısı, solunum hızı

How it is used

Shortened to RR or 'resps' in notes and handover. Nurses count it for a full minute, ideally without the patient noticing, because people breathe differently when watched. In adults it is usually 12 to 20 breaths per minute, and a rising rate is often an early sign of deterioration.

Example sentences

  1. His respiratory rate has gone up to 28 and he looks exhausted.

  2. Don't forget to count the respiratory rate for a full minute.

Common collocations

  • count the respiratory rate
  • raised respiratory rate
  • respiratory rate of 20
  • record the respiratory rate
  • vital signsThe basic body measurements that show how well a patient's body is working: usually temperature, pulse, breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen level.
  • oxygen saturationThe percentage of the blood's haemoglobin that is carrying oxygen, usually measured with a small clip on the finger called a pulse oximeter.
  • early warning scoreA score calculated from a patient's vital signs and level of consciousness that helps staff notice early that a patient is becoming seriously ill.
  • deteriorateTo become worse, especially when a patient's condition or vital signs change in a way that shows they are becoming more unwell.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Vital Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.